Johannesburg – The newly elected mayor of Johannesburg, Jolidee Matongo has passed away.
It is believed that the mayor passed away on Saturday in a car accident.
Matongo was appointed as the mayor of the city on 10 August and served in the position for just over a month.
He was elected as mayor after the previous mayor, Geoff Makhubo, died in July of Covid-19 complications.
Matongo was the former MMC for Finance in the City.
Matongo was with President Cyril Ramaphosa earlier on Saturday, campaigning for the ANC for the upcoming local government elections, in Soweto.
Voter Registration Weekend is fully underway.
📍Ipelegeng
⚫️🟢🟡#VoterRegistration #LGE2021 pic.twitter.com/5tqAbZihcE
— Jolidee Matongo (@matongo_jolidee) September 18, 2021
Read more about Matongo’s career and life below, from the City Of Johannesburg’s website below:
His record of insight and ongoing commitment to serve with the utmost efficiency and accountability in the local government sphere, saw him appointed a Strategic Support Advisor in the Johannesburg Office of the MMC for Finance in 2011.
This was the role that saw him become part of the Johannesburg leadership that prioritised socio-economic transformation in the city through partnerships with communities, business, academic institutions and civil society in the delivery of municipal services.
The same leadership team led to the municipality scoring positive ratings by both Moody’s and Fitch for its good financial health amidst financial difficulties experienced at national government in 2015.
Mayor also served as the Chief of Staff responsible for the overall running and functioning of the offices of the Gauteng Member of the Executive Committee (MEC) for the departments of Sport as well as Economic Development and Agriculture respectively.
The Soweto-born seasoned politician grew up in the streets of Dube where at the tender age of 13 he took up student politics in the historic township and subsequently became a member of the African National Congress (ANC) Youth League wherein he was elected its Regional Chairperson.
Mayor Matongo has served as a member of the Johannesburg ANC Regional Executive Committee for 18 years. During this time, he became Head of Media and Communications of the region where he was also elected the Region Spokesperson for two consecutive terms.
Having formally joined the public service more than a decade ago, mayor Matongo was first appointed an Operations Manager in the Housing Department of the City.
He later became the City’s Deputy Director of Youth Development – a function that prompted the municipality to prioritise programmes that were directed particularly at youth inclusion and empowerment. He went on to become a Councillor in the Johannesburg Council ahead of his appointment as a Strategic Adviser.
Mayor Matongo, who is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Public Administration, already holds various qualifications that include a B-Tech degree in Public Management, Project Management, Quality Assurance as well as Public Management and Development.
He lives in Lenasia, south of Johannesburg, with his family.
Tributes poured in on social media for the mayor:
https://twitter.com/Gracaey/status/1439310198708002820?s=20
Hadn't yet met him but having recently taken on role as Mayor #JolideeMatongo he has been out& about, on the ground working tirelessly advocating for Vaccinations across city in recent wks &busy with Arbour month more recently. This is too tragic, another life taken too soon. 😢
— CATHERINE CONSTANTINIDES (@ChangeAgentSA) September 18, 2021
When he was elected, he was accused of not been South African enough because of a parent from Zimbabwe. Today he is no more. And the faceless heartless people who insulted him will rejoice. Hamba Kahle #JolideeMatongo. Rest in peace
— Thatiley (@Thatiley) September 18, 2021
Just today… #JolideeMatongo https://t.co/WuG5dsYhMi
— Matshidiso Madia (@tshidi_lee) September 18, 2021
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